Should you expect longer lines at Sea-Tac Airport?

A screener reviews an image from a backscatter X-ray body scanner at the Sea-Tac Airport. (Aubrey Cohen/Seattlepi.com)

Get ready for longer lines at the Sea-Tac Airport, at least for now.

That’s what one airline is telling customers in conjunction with the unveiling of full-body scans at the airport this week.

Transportation Security Administration officials said last week that installation of the backscatter X-ray machines won’t slow down the screening process, but we’re hearing a different tune from Alaska Airlines.

Please allow extra time to get through security lines at Sea-Tac airport as the TSA is closing the North Security Checkpoint (D gates). Travelers who usually use this checkpoint will use a different checkpoint and waits can be up to one hour or more. The closure is expected to last approximately two weeks as the TSA reconfigures the layout to include the new full body scanners.

The airport temporarily closed the checkpoint Sunday, but TSA officials opened extra lanes at the other checkpoints to make up for the closure.

Body scans generally take about 15 seconds, and Alaska Airlines isn’t the only entity concerned about delays. MyNorthwest.com reported last week that the International Air Transport Association predicted the new device would lead to longer lines at security checkpoints.